10th Tradition Follows On

AA 10^th Tradition Short form: Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.

And here is the text from the AA Big Book, the long form of the traditions:

No A.A. group or member should ever, in such a way as to implicate A.A., express any opinion on outside controversial issues - particularly those of politics, alcohol reform, or sectarian religion. The Alcoholics Anonymous groups oppose no one. Concerning such matters they can express no views whatever.

Traditions 4, 6, and 10 fit together:  one purpose (tradition 4), do not lend our name to anyone or anything else, (tradition 6) hold no position on outside issues (tradition 10).

Many would say that in a democratic or republican society the church needs to take a position on such things as abortion, assisted suicide, gay rights (specifically gay marriage). Then they add gun rights, health care, immigration reform, etc… Somehow, all of these issues have made their way to the forefront of “Christian concerns”. We lost our

way somewhere. People were Jesus’ concern not the immoral Roman Empire that ruled the known world. Many who followed him wanted Him to be concerned about the government and their atrocities, but he simply didn’t seem to care. Instead he called them to live well under the Roman oppression.

Many of the issues which cloud out Jesus’ people agenda in 2010 are moral issues: abortion, gay rights, healthcare, war, and immigration, but on at least two of those items the Christian right is clearly so far off in immorality that I sometimes wonder how they can live with themselves.

No matter the morality of any issue, the church should never take a stand on any political issue. We should not hand out voters pamphlets or give voting guides. We are called to live in the Kingdom of God which is something Dave Gibbons has labeled, “Third Culture”.  We are not called to submerse ourselves in the Kingdoms of this world, no matter what form they take: governmental or corporate.

Why does the Body of Christ care what a corporation, the government or anyone but ourselves do on any of these issues? They’re simply not our concern.

For the sake of this discussion we need to separate the individual from the congregation. Individuals quite rightly hold positions on these issues. There needs to be a Christian presence in government. Having said that, it is always wrong for an individual to use God or His church as a sledge hammer to bring others into moral submission.

It is not that faith is a private matter. Faith can’t be private, but faith manifests itself differently for different people. When many Christians see a national health care program as being a moral mandate to love their neighbor, others see it as highway robbery. When one group of Christians see Civil Unions as being fair right and just and a way to protect people, others see them as a step toward Gay Marriage and totally immoral. When many see illegal immigration as robbing Americans of needed resources, others see it as our responsibility to leave the edges of the fields un-harvested so the poor could reap and eat. As soon as a congregation takes one side or the other on these issues it alienates those that hold a different position. The church needs to be a place where people can meet Jesus, not get embroiled in political debate. For example if a church strongly supports “Right to Life”, no matter how hard they try the abortionist and / or the aborter will never feel welcomed by Jesus in their midst.

Meanwhile, a missional congregation sends counselors to Crisis Pregnancy Centers, provides baby clothing and finances, and encourages members to adopt or become foster parents. They work to welcome the illegal non-English speaking farm and sweat shop community and offer English lessons and any other support they can think of. They feed the poor. They work to clothe and house the homeless. They partner with medical agencies to combat AIDs and other sexually transmitted diseases. They work handing out clean needles to addicts who just can’t stop. They visit the criminals in prison and partner with probation officers to help convicts trying to transition back into life. In short they continue the mission of Jesus. The church should take no position on the issue but always work toward Kingdom Values in whatever they find themselves.

The recovering alcoholic or the drug addict may have a position on legalized drugs or appropriate drinking ages. But you will never hear these things spoken about in a meeting. If someone calls for help the recovering addict / alcoholic will drop everything to help. The situation that surrounds the suffering is inconsequential.

Too many people think that they problems they face are “out there”, and believe that if they can control the external factors everything will be OK. The 12 stepper knows that “if they are disturbed the problem is in them.” They know that changing everything will only make them want to change it back or lead them to find something else to want to change. So instead of focusing on the outside issues the alcoholic / addict focuses on the stuff on the inside”

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

The courage to change the things I can

And the wisdom to know the difference.

The 12 stepper learns that their serenity is of more value than being right. They learn slowly to cease fighting everyone and everything. They learn this as a result of the tenth tradition. The church could use some of that.

Comments

[Malana Ganza]

The idea of opposing no one, and working for Kingdom Values, is fascinating in that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers. Our battle is not against people or governments but against the spiritual forces that influence them. How then should we pray? And act?